Lviv has for the first time hosted the Greek cultural festival Panayir. This is a traditional religious, community and family celebration of the Greeks of Ukraine, intended to unite people around a shared history, culture, spiritual traditions and intangible heritage.
During the event, a Ukrainian record was set: over 600 years of uninterrupted history of the Greek community living on the territory of our country. The organisers emphasise that this confirms how deeply the history of the Greeks is interwoven with the history of Ukraine.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Panayir was traditionally held in the Azov Sea region – in Mariupol, Volnovakha and other towns and villages where Ukrainian Greeks had lived for generations. Some of these territories are now temporarily occupied, and many people were forced to leave their homes and move to other regions, including Lviv region. They brought with them their traditions and the memory of their native land, and the Greek community is now actively developing in the region.
During the celebration, words of gratitude were expressed to Ukrainian service personnel – to those who are currently defending the country, who have endured heavy fighting and Russian captivity, who are recovering from wounds or are still in captivity. It was stressed that thanks to the defenders of Ukraine, the country has both a present and a future.
Panayir also became an opportunity to support the next group of service personnel who will travel to the Holy Mount Athos as part of the project “Spiritual Victory“. According to the organisers, thanks to the joint efforts of the KAVA Foundation, the clergy, psychologists and benefactors, 125 soldiers and veterans have already taken part in such trips for spiritual, psychological and physical recovery.
The first Panayir in Lviv region was organised by the Federation of Greek Societies of Ukraine and the KAVA Foundation. Special mention was made of the support of the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic and the people of Greece in helping Ukraine and Ukrainians.
Participants in the celebration expressed the hope that next year Panayir will be held in a liberated Ukrainian Mariupol, where this tradition was formed and passed down from generation to generation. They believe that thanks to Ukrainian soldiers, faith, daily work and the contribution of each person to strengthening the state, this will become possible.